From: Cellole, Campania, Italy
Varietal: Greco di Tufo
Taste: Pale straw yellow in the glass with greenish reflections. On the nose, the wine is vivid and layered with aromas of ripe pear, white peach, lemon zest, and fresh herbs, underscored by flinty minerality and a hint of almond skin. The palate opens with precise acidity and a medium-bodied frame, showing citrus, orchard fruit flavors, and a savory mineral core that lingers through a clean, slightly saline finish. The lees contact adds subtle creaminess without compromising freshness.
Pairing: Greco di Tufo is a natural match for dishes that highlight brightness, texture, and a savory edge. Its acidity and mineral drive make it ideal alongside seafood—think grilled octopus with lemon capers, or salt-crusted branzino. Shellfish pastas with olive oil, garlic, and herbs—such as spaghetti alle vongole—echo the wine’s saline finish and lift. It also works beautifully with fried preparations, like fritto misto or even Korean-style tempura vegetables, where the wine’s freshness cuts through the richness.
About: Villa Matilde Avallone, based in Cellole in the Campania region of southern Italy, represents a modern revival of ancient viticulture in one of Italy’s oldest wine territories. The estate was founded in the 1960s by Francesco Paolo Avallone, a lawyer and passionate historian, whose curiosity about the wines of ancient Rome—especially the famed Falernian wine mentioned in Latin literature—sparked a project that would ultimately restore near-extinct native grape varieties and reestablish a legacy lost to time.
